Folding umbrella.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

E. ELGOODRIGH.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1906.

HIN

EDSON E. GOODRIOH, OF WATERVILLE, MAINE.

FOLDING UMBRELLA;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

Application filed May 19,1906. Serial No. 317,846.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EnsoN E. Goonmcn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterville, in thecounty of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a, specification.

The object of my said invention is to provide an umbrella frame which is adapted to fold, in order that the'umbrella may be conveniently folded and packed in a trunk or satchel when desired, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and 'on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure l is a view of an umbrella frame in elevation Withthe parts in the position they occupy when the umbrella is ready for use, the ribs being only partially elevated and only two of said ribs being shown, in order that the illustration may be more clear, Fig. 2 is a view of said frame showing the stem and ribs in folded position and the handle released and ready tobe folded, Fig. 3 a detail view illustrating the joint in the ribs more clearly, Fig. 4 a cr0ss-section through one of said ribs on the dotted line 4-4, Fig. 5 a detail view on an enlarged scale of the slide, and Fig. 6 is a view of the frame and handle folded.

It will be understood that the cover is attached to the frame in the same manner as to any ordinary Inn'- brella frame and being of flexible material does not in any manner interfere with the operation of the parts. It is omitted from the drawings inorder that the framework, to which the invention relates, may be more clearly illustrated' In said drawings the portions marked A, A and A represent the different parts of the stem and handle, B, B the two parts of the ribs and G the braces.

The stem comprises the part A which is preferably a metal tube of suitable size, similar to theuppe'r end of an ordinary umbrella stick, and internally screwthreaded at its lower end. The part A may be tubular or solid, as preferred, adapted to telescope within the part A and provided with a screw-threaded upper end a which is adapted to engage with the internally screw-threaded part at the lower end of the part A. The handle A may be of any desired form and is formed with a socket with-an internal screw-threaded portion'o at the lower end of said socket therein, with which the screw-threaded part a is adapted to engage.

Said part a is hingedto a short section a? which in turn is hinged to the lower end of the part A, thus forming a double hinge and enabling the handle to be folded back on the outside of the cover, which may The part B is preferably solid and thinner than the part B. which is formed Ushaped in cross-section as shown in Fig. 4, and adapted to receive said part B between its sides. for a distance beyond said pivot so that while the part B may fold upwardly as shown in Figs? 2 and 6, it is held from folding inwardly on the pivot when extended. By this construction the ribs when extended are not only held rigid but the two parts are in line with each other, making a practically continuous rib Without perceptible off-set or joint.

The end of the part B extends upwardly.

mounted on each of the parts 13 a short distance above the pivots b and at their lower ends are pivotally connected to the top of a slide G in the usual manner. A spring pawl G is mounted on a pivot c on one side of said slide, its upper end being adapted to project through an adjacent perforation therein and engage with a perforation a. in the part A of the stem and hold the ribs in extended position, and engage under a catch a on the part A of said stem to hold the frame in closed position when it is not to be folded, A spring 0 serves to hold said pawl to engage said catches when slid to the proper positions.

In operation, the umbrella being in position for use, and it being desired to fold the same, the slide C is disengaged from the catch or perforation a and the ribs 1 brought to about the position shown in Fig. 1, when the shown in'Fig. 2, which folds the braces C under said ribs. The handle A is then turned to disengage its threaded portion a from the screw-threaded end of the part a which is jointed to the frame. When said parts are disengaged the handle will fall to the position shown in Fig. 2. The part A is then screwed inwardly until the threaded portion is disengaged from the internally threaded lower end of the part A, when said part A will telescope within said part A, as shown in Fig. 2. The handle A? is then folded back to the position shown in Fig. 6 and the whole be then incased in a suitable cover, when it is ready for packing.- It being desired to put the umbrella in. condition for use when folded in the position shown in Fig. 6, it is done by holding the umbrella in a vertical position with handle down, allowing said handle A to fall down in the positioh shown in Fig. 2, when it is slid upwardly over the hinge parts a and (1 until the screw-threaded end of part'a engages with the screw-threaded socket a in the handle, when said handle is turned until the two parts are firmly engaged, the upper end of the handle thus covering the joints of the hinge and holding the parts rigid. The part A is then turned. backwardly until the screw-threaded section at its top end is firmly engaged in the internally screw-threoded portions at the lower end of part A when the handle and stem of the umbrella are to all intents and purposes the some as any stick and handle of an ordinary umbrella. The slide 0" is then slid down the stem to about the position shown in Fig. l and parts 313 of the ribs are allowed to fall down in the position shown in said figure. v Said ribs are then extended by sliding the slide 0 upwardly until the latch 0 engages the catch a in part A. .The braces bear against the part B beyond the joints Z2 and serve to tighten the cover and hold said ribs straight and approximately rigid, the strain of the cover being on a. line inside the pivot in each one.

By this construction, a folding umbrella is provided wherein, when in use, all or" the joints and devices for enabling it. to be folded are concealed and to all intents and purposes only :in ordinary umbrella construction is shown.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:- I 1. In a folding: umbrella, the combination, of the three p stem and handle com ing the pnrts A und il adopted to to and con i by screw-threads and the handle A ed 10 telescope on the lower end of the part A and 1; connected therein by screw-threads, the jointed ribs composed oi the puris l3 and '8', and the braces (3 connected with the slide C and sold ribs above the joints therein, substantially set forth.

2. A folding umbrella compri. oz; :1 ieui having a hollow upper section with on in vcruelly screwtlu'eaded lower end, unoiiie section adopted to lelcscopc therein with an external screw-threaded upper end to engage the threads of said first section, :1 handle mounted on the lower end of said second seciinn by means of u jointed section with a screw threaded end adopted to engage with a screw-threaded portion in the bottom of a socket in said handle, said handle being adopted to telescope over and cover the joints in said section, and the ribs and braces, substuntlolly as set forth.

3. A folding umbrella comprising a stem composed of telescopic sections, means for holding them in extended position, the lower end 01? the telescoping section provided with a. hinged portion, a handle for engagement with such hinged portion and adapted to slide over ,the hinge and hold the parts rigid, the folding ribs, the braces, and the slide, substantially as set forth.

i. A folding umbrella comprising a stem composed of the telescopic sections A and A, means for holding said sections in extended position, a hinge composed of the parts a and o pivoted to the lower end of section A, said part a being formed screw-threaded, and a handle formed with a socket adapted to slide over said hinge to hold it rigid and formed with a screw-threaded portion at the bottom oi its socket for engagement with the screwthrended part a of the hinge, whereby the parts may be held in line, the folding ribs, the braces, and the slide, substantially as set forth.

5. In a. folding umbrella, the combination, with the stern, of a bundle mounted on its lower end by means of a section jointed both to the lower end of the stem zmd to ii screw threaded section adapted to engage with a scrmwthrended socket in said handle, whereby a double hinge joint is provided to enable said handle to be folded outside the cover, substantially as sci" forth.

(l. A folding umbrella comprising a stem made in sections adapted to fold and telescope, ribs formed in two parts, one of said parts being U-shzipecl in cross section and adapted to embrace the end of the other part, said other part mounted between the sides of said U-slmped part on a pivot secured in said sides, said part being formed with an extension extending beyond said pivot and adapted to bear against the edge of said U-shnpcd part: and hold said joint from bending in one direction, whereby the rib when extended is held rigid and its parts in line with each other, the braces connected at one end with said ribs at a point above said pivots and at the other end to a slide on the stem, and said slide, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Augusta Georgia this 14th day of May, A. D. nineteen hundred and six.

EDSON E. GOODRICH. [L.S.] 

